remotest intention of being useful, their ideas of "style" and "manners" are suited to make them nearly as useless as possible. How many girls are taught to play the piano, and embroider,

both of which are well in their place, while they are not

permitted to make a dress or a pie! It is consistent with some mothers' ideas of gentility to embroider, but it is not to sew on a garment. They may know how to dance or paint, but it would be almost unpardonable for them to know how to wash a pocket handkerchief! It does appear as if the notions which some people entertain of gentility were singularly adapted to make them useless. They acquire a knowledge of those things which are least necessary, and neglect those that would be of great service to them in discharging the duties of life. It is said that "nothing is made in vain;" but some girls may almost be said to be exceptions to the rule. They are educated to think that labor is degrading, which amounts to the same thing as the belief that usefulness is degrading; and lower than this, in the scale of recognized responsible existence, no female can easily fall.

Let the reader stop and consider what it is to be useless. How much selfishness, worldly-mindedness, and neglect of God's claims upon the heart, it implies! To be a cipher in the world, where

there is so much to be done!

as if there were no God calling for action! Are you willing to stand in this relation to mankind?

Dare you waste the

golden moments of life in bringing nothing to pass? Look at your opportunities for usefulness! And what is an opportunity, do you ask? It is a favorable occasion for doing good, which, like time, if once lost, is lost forever. How many of them are crowded into a single year of your life! Dare you waste them all? Will you toss them away as so many passing trifles? Then your life will be a failure, the end of your being will be defeated, your name will be unhonored, your memory will perish in oblivion.

A USEFUL girl!- A USEFUL Woman! No female need aspire after a higher eulogium than this. It is the fulfilment of her mission, which earth approves and God rewards. The first instance of a great public demonstration of grief at the death of a woman, that occurred in our land, was occasioned by the departure of a useful female of the city of Washington-Mrs. Van Ness. She endeared herself to the people by her constant efforts at doing good. She was the first to appreciate and relieve the wants of the needy, and the last to despair of reclaiming the wandering. Year after year she toiled in behalf of the lower classes of that city, to teach, comfort, and elevate them.

She died on the ninth of September, 1832, and the announcement of her exit spread a gloom over the entire metropolis. The citizens, without distinction of sect or party, held a meeting to express their sorrow at her death, and to devise a plan for bearing public testimony to her worth. They voted to procure a plate for her coffin, on which should be an inscription detailing her virtues and expressing their gratitude. She was followed to the grave by nearly all the people of the city. It was homage paid to distinguished USEFULNESS.

It is a very sad affair to so live that, when death removes you hence, all that can be said of you is, "she was accomplished," or "she was beautiful," or "she was intelligent." How much better, nobler, . holier, so to live, that, when you die, friends and neighbors may say, "she was USEFUL"!

Indeed, no girl can accomplish anything worthy of herself, unless her constant aim is at usefulness. Here duty, which we have considered in a previous chapter, comes in with its demands, and the result is energy and perseverance in the right direction.

"Intrepid virtue triumphs over Fate;
The good can never be unfortunate:
And be this maxim graven in thy mind,
The height of virtue is to serve mankind."

CHAPTER XX.

AMUSEMENTS.

MISS LYON'S VIEWS OF AMUSEMENTS

AMUSEMENTS-DESTROYS USEFULNESS

SCRIPTURAL-LOVE OF LOVERS OF PLEASURE ARE TRIFLERS-AMUSEMENTS EXTINGUISH SERIOUS THOUGHTSTHE YOUNG INQUIRER AND THE DANCE-TESTIMONY OF FRANCES M'LELLAN -PLEASURE-SEEKING GIRLS ASSOCIATE OFTEN WITH YOUNG MEN OF BAD CHARACTER MANY INTEMPERATE YOUNG MEN-ONE OF THIS CLASS ON HER DEATH-BED-TESTIMONY OF HER PHYSICIAN-THESE EVILS SHOW BAD INFLUENCE OF POPULAR AMUSEMENTS THESE SHOULD BE AVOIDED RECREATION NECESSARY, BUT NOT AMUSEMENTS-PLEASURE NEVER TO BE SOUGHT FOR ITS OWN SAKE- PRINCIPLE THE RULE OF ACTION, AND PLEASURE THE RESULT-CLEOPATRA DISSOLVED AND DRANK A JEWEL WORTH $375,000 TO THE HEALTH OF MARK ANTONY-MANY GIRLS MAKE GREATER SACRIFICE OF SOUL.

MISS Lyon was thought to be unnecessarily rigid, by some of her pupils, in respect to amusements. We think, however, that her views were very scriptural, and that such views alone lead to success. There is no doubt that a fondness for mere worldly pleasure has been the cause of many a girl's uselessness, and utter failure of life. On account of their love of amusements they have sought those scenes of gayety, in which the elements of true success are never called out. Much of the girlish folly

portrayed in the foregoing pages arises, in fact, from this undue love of pleasure. Hence, it is a subject that claims some special attention.

Among young ladies who participate in all the amusements of the day, we have noticed several things which certainly show that their influence upon the heart is evil. One is, that they are among the most thoughtless and trifling of their sex. Thoughtfulness is becoming in a girl-that thoughtfulness which is found in connection with prudence, foresight, and wisdom. But these seekers of pleasure do not possess it. Female scoffers and despisers of religion are found among them. Pleasure is more to them than principle. They wonder at the Puritan stiffness of those who condemn parties and balls, and conclude that religion is a cold and heartless affair.

We have noticed that amusements sometimes extinguish serious thoughts in the minds of girls who had them for a time. We well remember one who had almost decided to accompany a friend to see their pastor, to converse with him about the salvation of their souls. The evening was ap pointed; but an invitation to attend a dance changed her mind; and she has scarcely been to the house of God from that day to this, although several years have elapsed since her fatal decision. We have read of many similar instances.